Ice cream is one of my all-time favorite sweets, and I’ve enjoyed sharing some no-churn versions like last fall’s Maple Pecan Ice Cream. While I do have an ice cream maker, I know that not everyone does, so no-churn recipes are great for the blog so everyone can join in the fun. No-churn ice cream is super easy to make, and all you need is a mixer!

For this No-Churn Cherry Fudge Ripple Ice Cream, I decided to make cherry the star of the show and keep chocolate in a supporting role. Not my usual MO, but sometimes we have to live dangerously. 😉

So, some would argue that maraschino cherries aren’t actually real cherries. Okay, maybe not. They’ve been manipulated ten times over to become that deliciously sweet “cherry on top.” Not so natural. Definitely not organic.

There’s something about the ridiculously sweet maraschino cherry, though, that’s appealed to me more than traditional cherries ever have. And so it was a no brainer for me to use both maraschino cherries and the juice for this No-Churn Cherry Fudge Ripple Ice Cream recipe. Because I’m not sure it’s possible for ice cream to be too sweet!

The cherries are most certainly front and center in this smooth and creamy ice cream, but the fudge ripple definitely puts the exclamation point on this classic flavor combination. It’s very much like a homemade version of Hershey’s chocolate syrup. Very easy to make with ingredients you likely have in your pantry at this moment. (If you don’t have Dutch-process cocoa powder for this recipe – that’s okay! Natural cocoa powder still will work, but the flavor will be a bit different.)

What is Dutch-process cocoa powder?

As we’ve discussed, baking is all about chemistry! Different ingredients react differently depending upon their chemical make-ups. Dutch-process cocoa powder is a neutral cocoa powder. The natural acidity of the cocoa powder has been removed. Dutch-process cocoa powder is a bit darker in appearance and has a relatively smooth flavor. Natural cocoa powder has not been altered, is acidic, and tastes strong and slightly bitter.

Think of basic chemistry and the reactions between an acid and a base. Example – the volcano experiments using vinegar (acid) and baking soda (base). In recipes with baking soda, natural cocoa powder (acid) reacts with the baking soda (base) to allow the baked goods to rise. We saw this reaction in the Shoofly Cake recipe when molasses and baking soda combined.

This No-Churn Cherry Fudge Ripple Ice Cream is a wonderful way to keep riding February’s chocolate and cherry train! Love how it turned out! Stay tuned for chocolate and cherry’s final stop next week!

Print

No-Churn Cherry Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

Prep Time

25mins

Total Time

25mins

Course:
Ice Cream

Servings: 1.5 qt

Author: Stephanie @ Worth Whisking

Ingredients

Fudge Ripple (The Perfect Scoop)

½cupgranulated sugar

1/3cuplight corn syrup

½cupwater

6tablespoonsunsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

½teaspoonvanilla extract

Ice Cream

1can sweetened condensed milk14 oz.

1jar maraschino cherries16 oz., divided

2cupscold heavy cream

Instructions

Fudge Ripple

Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble at the edges.

Continue to whisk until it just comes to a low boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking frequently. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Ice Cream

Chill beaters and a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

In a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk cherry juice until well mixed. Set aside.

In the chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. About three minutes.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold about ¼ of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture until blended. Fold in the remaining whipped cream and mix until combined.

Add the chopped cherries and stir into the cream mixture until well distributed.

Using generous spoonsful, spread a layer of the fudge ripple into the bottom of a 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Top with about 1/3 of the ice cream mixture, being careful not to mix the ice cream mixture with the fudge ripple layer. Repeat two more times, again, careful not to mix the layers.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until firm – six hours to overnight.